DW2-XL v1.11.7 Available

Please post here for questions and discussion about data, event, art and sound modding and the game editor for Distant Worlds.

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GHerr
Posts: 163
Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:52 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by GHerr »

If i prefer the vanilla research tree, could i just not copy that file and use the rest? would that cause problems ? not sure how interdependent the changes are
mordachai
Posts: 684
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 4:55 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by mordachai »

should work. I added stuff - I didn't take away. The techs will result in the component changes I made (e.g. engines, warp drives, etc.)
Foraven
Posts: 319
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:32 am

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by Foraven »

Nice mod you have there mordachai, I will try this out. One little thing you changed I disagree with though is the addition of a battleship to the raid fleet. From what I understand, the raid fleet is a small force that is meant to do "economic damage" more than fight off other fleets. They destroy mining stations, attack civilian ships and maybe raid a planet. Them being small fleets is an asset, they cost little to deploy and can do more damage by being where the enemy big fleets are not. Any fleet sent chasing them is one fleet not doing damage to your empire or your actual combat fleets. From what I seen the vanilla AI is quite good at using them that way.
mordachai
Posts: 684
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 4:55 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by mordachai »

Foraven wrote: Tue Aug 30, 2022 9:39 pm Nice mod you have there mordachai, I will try this out. One little thing you changed I disagree with though is the addition of a battleship to the raid fleet. From what I understand, the raid fleet is a small force that is meant to do "economic damage" more than fight off other fleets. They destroy mining stations, attack civilian ships and maybe raid a planet. Them being small fleets is an asset, they cost little to deploy and can do more damage by being where the enemy big fleets are not. Any fleet sent chasing them is one fleet not doing damage to your empire or your actual combat fleets. From what I seen the vanilla AI is quite good at using them that way.
I wish I would see the AIs do more in general!

Perhaps you're right about that... I was trying to find a way to beef them up in general and balance the total builds against fleet composition. But :shrug: - happy to have raid fleets remain small.

I am tempted to remove the tanker from them again. The engine uses them so poorly - often throwing the tanker in as a front line ship with the fleet it's assigned to. Maybe best to have it as I had it before - no tankers in fleets.

My exp. is that the automation asks you to build plenty of tankers - so presumably it's doing so for the AIs as well.

EDIT: just uploaded 1.3.4 with exactly those changes (plus increased AI construction of construction ships)
GHerr
Posts: 163
Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2017 9:52 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by GHerr »

I am enjoying this. Not just playing but reverse engineering the changes to better understand the game. Have you be able to improve or increase AI expansion? It seems like the only thing you can do is slow the player down rather than things that would speed the AI up
mordachai
Posts: 684
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 4:55 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by mordachai »

There isn't much control over the AIs exposed by the game in terms of data files.

Mostly I'm hoping that they'll make them a bit better -- and that whatever they do is adaptable to my mod.

If not, perhaps someone will make an AI code-injection mod that I can recommend.

But beyond setting some default policies - which I'm not sure how much the AI actually uses those - no, not a lot I can do.
Anexgohan
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:16 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by Anexgohan »

anyone help me out with some simple install instructions.
Whats all the other files alongside the data folder like
.vscode
AdjustCol.pl
ComponentDefinitionList.xsd
PlanetaryFacilityDefinitionList.xsd
,etc
mordachai
Posts: 684
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 4:55 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by mordachai »

Ignore everything but the data folder -- Just:
1. Backup your current real data folder (but keep the original too)
2. Merge this mod's data folder into the real data folder - so that all of the contents merge together in your install (if your OS is asking about overwriting files, then you're doing it right).

If you run into real trouble - just use steam to validate your files, or uninstall/reinstall to clear everything and try again.

In the end - you want your normal installation path to have data\ which contains a base of the original files (for 1.0.6.4 or greater) plus this mod's data folder merged on top of that.

At some point maybe we'll have support for Steam Workshop or someone will write a generic mod manager / installer I can use - or I'll break down and make one (I doubt it - they're a royal PITA - but maybe).
Anexgohan
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:16 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by Anexgohan »

mordachai wrote: Sat Sep 03, 2022 12:37 pm At some point maybe we'll have support for Steam Workshop or someone will write a generic mod manager/installer I can use - or I'll break down and make one (I doubt it - they're a royal PITA - but maybe).
Hey, I got it working before your post, but thanks for replying anyways.
I must say it's really impressive what you have done here, especially with the research tree, it feels like a much more polished experience and well thought out, well done.

I would like to help you out with that install issue your having, just use an open/free installer to create your installer package, I would suggest "Inno Setup" as i'v used it before
Inno Setup
another one InstallForge
also some alternatives

very easy to create a custom installer.
Anexgohan
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:16 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by Anexgohan »

mordachai wrote: Sat Sep 03, 2022 12:37 pm At some point maybe we'll have support for Steam Workshop or someone will write a generic mod manager / installer I can use - or I'll break down and make one (I doubt it - they're a royal PITA - but maybe).
Hey,
I made an installer for you it's pretty bare bones but gets the job done.
Attachments
DistantWorlds 2 - XL Setup.zip
DistantWorlds 2 - XL Setup v1.0
(3.07 MiB) Downloaded 18 times
mordachai
Posts: 684
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 4:55 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by mordachai »

That's too cool! :)

How does it know what the user's game-installation folder is? Ah - it requires the user to know.

Yeah, at some point - maybe we can pull that from the registry on Windows? Maybe one of those installers has that ability? I'm not sure how steam stores that info -- Linux users can be required to know their own setup, however.

Well, I appreciate it. Very, very cool. I'll check out inno in the near future. See what else it can do!
Anexgohan
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:16 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by Anexgohan »

mordachai wrote: Tue Sep 06, 2022 1:55 am That's too cool! :)

How does it know what the user's game-installation folder is? Ah - it requires the user to know.

Yeah, at some point - maybe we can pull that from the registry on Windows? Maybe one of those installers has that ability? I'm not sure how steam stores that info -- Linux users can be required to know their own setup, however.

Well, I appreciate it. Very, very cool. I'll check out inno in the near future. See what else it can do!
It has some helpful text in the setup before selecting the directory to guide people where to install.

If you want the files used to make this installer let me know, i'd rather you have it then depend on me to make it everytime you release a new version.
mordachai
Posts: 684
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 4:55 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by mordachai »

Sure - if you're offering - I'll check out what you have.
Anexgohan
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:16 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by Anexgohan »

mordachai wrote: Tue Sep 06, 2022 9:21 pm Sure - if you're offering - I'll check out what you have.
I used InstallForge to make the exe, you can just extract the zip and load the file "Distant Worlds 2 XL_InstallForge_01.ifp" into InstallForge, rest is simple and self explanatory.
Also, There is a Inno setup save file also "DW2-XL.iss" which also generates a setup file and is highly configurable.

Use whichever setup option you like,
InstallForge is easier while, Inno is very configurable but has a learning curve.
Attachments
Distant Worlds 2 XL Setup Files.zip
(6.74 MiB) Downloaded 14 times
mordachai
Posts: 684
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 4:55 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by mordachai »

Hey - I haven't done anything with the installer - but if you're able to self-install - I've updated to v1.4.0 - which is compatible with DW 1.0.7.1 beta.

Previous versions of this mod started failing around 1.0.6.8 or 9 - they've substantially changed the rules for the tech tree.

As always, readme has version change notes.
Anexgohan
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:16 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by Anexgohan »

mordachai wrote: Wed Sep 21, 2022 1:21 am Hey - I haven't done anything with the installer - but if you're able to self-install - I've updated to v1.4.0 - which is compatible with DW 1.0.7.1 beta.

Previous versions of this mod started failing around 1.0.6.8 or 9 - they've substantially changed the rules for the tech tree.

As always, readme has version change notes.
The link on the main mod page is still leading to 1.3.3 version.
benc85
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2022 2:24 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by benc85 »

I'm enjoying this, been playing it for the past few weeks.

One question about the tech layout, if i may: Why are the tier 2 ship hull researches all on the same node? I liked the vanilla idea that the choice was to do further research into a spec, or to pick a new hull.

Colony management is much easier with the adjusted costs and upkeeps, although that +55% quality building certainly tips the balance towards colony spamming. Neither of these things are bad, mind you, just an interesting change of pace to the vanilla crawl towards profitability.

I haven't noticed any technical issues either yet, everything seems to be working correctly. Nice work Bud :D
mordachai
Posts: 684
Joined: Fri Mar 06, 2015 4:55 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by mordachai »

benc85 wrote: Tue Oct 04, 2022 6:15 pm I'm enjoying this, been playing it for the past few weeks.

One question about the tech layout, if i may: Why are the tier 2 ship hull researches all on the same node? I liked the vanilla idea that the choice was to do further research into a spec, or to pick a new hull.

Colony management is much easier with the adjusted costs and upkeeps, although that +55% quality building certainly tips the balance towards colony spamming. Neither of these things are bad, mind you, just an interesting change of pace to the vanilla crawl towards profitability.

I haven't noticed any technical issues either yet, everything seems to be working correctly. Nice work Bud :D
Glad you're enjoying it.

I felt pressured to always immediately grab the "better of same hull" when playing - and wanted to create an atmosphere where I used the base designs for a while, and a later era where everything was a higher tech level across the board.

I played with the construction tree probably more than anything else trying to find a satisfying approach - and this is what I came up with.

I've already reduced the size of quite a lot of the components over time - to make it more possible to have valid designs in the smaller, earlier hulls. But the large weapons and later tech goodies never all fit - so the later upgrades in capacity still serve a serious role and make for a new era of combat in my games.

Obviously, these things are always "to taste." Just what I prefer over a number of experiments.

Same thing with the terraforming. I always play on rare or very-rare for habitable worlds and independent races, plus I play with low density worlds/sector, preferring to have only a very few worlds that are natively colonizable, and force empires to tech up to the point of being able to utilize more opportunities (and it also makes the independents more valuable, since they're typically on good worlds - especially now that they've fixed most of the bugs of spawning races on worlds that they can actually survive on).

My current build (not yet published) pushes even more terraforming and science to earlier in the game, and reduces the overall costs of tech (though I'm not sure if I'll stick with that or not). Again, to allow for games to expand into the nearby worlds, and organically be able to fill out their local areas, as pressure builds to go to wars over resources or try to tech up to go "vertical" locally.

I keep trying to find ways to play with myself on very low starting tech, and one world, but the AIs on "mature" (or some of them, others on the 2-4 world option), and have a reasonable chance to survive and be able to meet them in combat (to try to balance out against the AIs general incompetence).

It's super hard to find a balance that delivers a good game consistently. My latest changes were spurred by a couple of games where I just couldn't fight my neighbors as critical tech was just a little out of reach relative to the pacing of the game. But... well, it's hit or miss. Always looking for that sweet spot. :)
benc85
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2022 2:24 pm

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by benc85 »

mordachai wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 12:31 am My current build (not yet published) pushes even more terraforming and science to earlier in the game, and reduces the overall costs of tech (though I'm not sure if I'll stick with that or not). Again, to allow for games to expand into the nearby worlds, and organically be able to fill out their local areas, as pressure builds to go to wars over resources or try to tech up to go "vertical" locally.
Looking forward to seeing this at some point then :)
Intaka
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2022 9:45 am

Re: DW2-XL Alpha Available

Post by Intaka »

Enjoying your changes. Looking forward to the next version. Especially appreciate the thoughtful work with the tech tree.

For my 2 cents, I like terraforming expensive, and enjoy the high research endpoint of 55% which allows a choice to go vertical (become more "dense" in a smaller space volume). The base game overall has WAY too many planets packed too closely for my taste, so I edited orbtypes.xml file to a much lower planet (and asteroid!) frequency, while making asteroids have more resource % (1% is so useless and just clutters the interface). This makes each planet (and asteroid) so much more valuable, makes fuel worth having, etc etc. Together with your mod, it makes for a fantastic game.

It's worth noting that the "value" of fixed defenses varies by galaxy size. In a 10 x 10 galaxy, there can be a lot of lag time for a fleet to respond to a threat. Your lowering of maintenance costs to help the AI also makes basic world defenses easily supportable for the player as well, which I found nice for border planets with frenemies, or "future citizens".
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